The Sogdian ancient letters and the information these letters give about the Silk Road, Sogdian, Chinese and Turkish history

İbrahim Onay

Article Details

The Sogdian ancient letters and the information these letters give about the Silk Road, Sogdian, Chinese and Turkish history

Authors:

İbrahim Onay

Publisher:

Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University

Main Topics:

Orta Asya Tarihi | Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Journal:

Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.510-525

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342813

pISSN:

2149-3871

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This study aims to evaluate the status of trade colonies formed by the Sogdians, one of the most important elements of the Silk Road trade, in the 4th century and the content of their Ancient Letters. Soğdians generally lived between the Syr-Darya and Amu Darya rivers. It is known that they were engaged in agriculture and trade due to the characteristics of the geography they lived in. They made long and diffucult journeys to trade and reached different geographies. It is known that Sogdians went outside their homeland, the Sogdiana region, and established commercial colonies. It was understood that they communicated between these colonies and their homeland by postal service. The Ancient Letters of the Sogdians are also related to this. Although there are disagreements about the date of writing of the letters, it is widely believed that they belong to the years between 311-314 AD. The names mentioned in the letters, the identity of the authors, the numbers given about the Sogdian human population living in China, and the products mentioned concerning trade are extremely important for both the Sogdian and the Silk Road history. In addition, the Ancient Letters contain information about the political and military events that took place at that time. It is understand that one of the letters mentions the Turks. Therefore, the Ancient Letters include significant clues regarding the early 4th-century Turkish and Chinese history. When the letters are evaluated, it is seen that the influence of the Kushan era in the past and the developments it provided have a role in the relationship of the Sogdians living outside their homeland, that is, in the Diaspora, with the Indian culture and Indians and their development in the Silk Road trade.

 This study aims to evaluate the status of trade colonies formed by the Sogdians, one of the most important elements of the Silk Road trade, in the 4th century and the content of their Ancient Letters. Soğdians generally lived between the Syr-Darya and Amu Darya rivers. It is known that they were engaged in agriculture and trade due to the characteristics of the geography they lived in. They made long and diffucult journeys to trade and reached different geographies. It is known that Sogdians went outside their homeland, the Sogdiana region, and established commercial colonies. It was understood that they communicated between these colonies and their homeland by postal service. The Ancient Letters of the Sogdians are also related to this. Although there are disagreements about the date of writing of the letters, it is widely believed that they belong to the years between 311-314 AD. The names mentioned in the letters, the identity of the authors, the numbers given about the Sogdian human population living in China, and the products mentioned concerning trade are extremely important for both the Sogdian and the Silk Road history. In addition, the Ancient Letters contain information about the political and military events that took place at that time. It is understand that one of the letters mentions the Turks. Therefore, the Ancient Letters include significant clues regarding the early 4th-century Turkish and Chinese history. When the letters are evaluated, it is seen that the influence of the Kushan era in the past and the developments it provided have a role in the relationship of the Sogdians living outside their homeland, that is, in the Diaspora, with the Indian culture and Indians and their development in the Silk Road trade.

 This study aims to evaluate the status of trade colonies formed by the Sogdians, one of the most important elements of the Silk Road trade, in the 4th century and the content of their Ancient Letters. Soğdians generally lived between the Syr-Darya and Amu Darya rivers. It is known that they were engaged in agriculture and trade due to the characteristics of the geography they lived in. They made long and diffucult journeys to trade and reached different geographies. It is known that Sogdians went outside their homeland, the Sogdiana region, and established commercial colonies. It was understood that they communicated between these colonies and their homeland by postal service. The Ancient Letters of the Sogdians are also related to this. Although there are disagreements about the date of writing of the letters, it is widely believed that they belong to the years between 311-314 AD. The names mentioned in the letters, the identity of the authors, the numbers given about the Sogdian human population living in China, and the products mentioned concerning trade are extremely important for both the Sogdian and the Silk Road history. In addition, the Ancient Letters contain information about the political and military events that took place at that time. It is understand that one of the letters mentions the Turks. Therefore, the Ancient Letters include significant clues regarding the early 4th-century Turkish and Chinese history. When the letters are evaluated, it is seen that the influence of the Kushan era in the past and the developments it provided have a role in the relationship of the Sogdians living outside their homeland, that is, in the Diaspora, with the Indian culture and Indians and their development in the Silk Road trade.

 Bu çalışma İpek Yolu ticaretinin en önemli unsurlarından biri olan Soğdların, Çinde oluşturdukları ticari kolonilerin 4. yüzyıl başlarındaki durumunu ve onlara ait Eski Mektupların içeriğinin değerlendirilmesini konu edinmektedir. Soğdlar genel olarak Sır-derya ve Amu-derya Nehirleri arasında yaşamaktaydılar. Yaşadıkları coğrafyanın özellikleri nedeniyle ziraat ve ticaretle uğraştıkları bilinmekteydi. Ticaret yapmak için uzun ve zorlu yolculuklar yaptılar ve farklı coğrafyalara ulaştılar. Soğdların, vatanları olan Sogdiana bölgesi dışına çıkarak ticari koloniler kurdukları bilinmektedir. Bu koloniler ile kendi vatanları arasında posta yoluyla iletişim kurdukları anlaşılmıştır. Soğdlara ait Eski Mektuplar bununla ilişkilidir. Mektupların yazıldığı tarih konusunda görüş ayrılıkları mevcut olmasına rağmen genel kanaat M.S. 311-314 yılları arasına ait olduklarıdır. Mektuplarda bulunan isimler, yazarların kimliği, Çinde yaşayan Soğdlu insan nüfusu hakkında verilen sayılar, ticaretle ilgili olarak bahsedilen ürünler, gerek Soğd gerekse İpek Yolu tarihi için son derece önemlidir. Yine Mektuplarda o dönem gerçekleşen siyasi ve askeri hadiselere dair bilgiler de bulunmaktadır. Mektuplardan birinin Türklerden bahsettiği anlaşılmaktadır. Bu nedenle Mektuplar, 4. yüzyıl başlarındaki Türk ve Çin tarihi bakımından da önemli ipuçları barındırmaktadır. Mektuplar değerlendirildiğinde; kendi vatanları dışında yani Diasporada yaşayan Soğdların, Hint kültürü ve Hintlilerle olan ilişkisi ve İpek Yolu ticaretindeki gelişimleri konusunda, geçmişteki Kuşan çağının etkisi ve onların sağladığı gelişmelerin rolü olabileceği değerlendirilebilir.

Article Details

The Sogdian ancient letters and the information these letters give about the Silk Road, Sogdian, Chinese and Turkish history

Authors:

İbrahim Onay

Publisher:

Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University

Main Topics:

Orta Asya Tarihi | Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Journal:

Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.510-525

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342813

pISSN:

2149-3871

Sogd,

Ancient Letters

Silk Road

TradeSoğd

Eski Mektuplar

İpek Yolu

Ticaret

Issues

Article Details

Authors: İbrahim Onay

Publisher: Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University

Main Topics: Orta Asya Tarihi | Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Journal: Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.510-525

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 3/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001342813

pISSN: 2149-3871

Issues

Authors:

İbrahim Onay

Publisher:

Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University

Main Topics:

Orta Asya Tarihi | Genel Türk Tarihi (Diğer)

Journal:

Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.510-525

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001342813

pISSN:

2149-3871